More action is needed from both government and industry alike if
the steady decline in French wine exports is to be halted, a junior
minister has warned. New World producers could soon take over as
the major exporters to Europe if...
Confirmation that the European scientific world is alive and
kicking arrived this week when the Commission announced that it had
received over 12,000 'expressions of interest' (EoIs) in response
to a call for ideas on promising...
Cooking with iron pots could play a significant role in preventing
iron deficiency, a major nutritional problem in the developing
world, according to a recent study by scientists in the United
States. Researchers from Cornell University...
The acqusition of Enaco earlier this year has allowed Spain's
Caprabo group to quicken the pace of expansion. October alone will
see the company open 17 new stores, strengthening its position in
the eastern region of Levante.
The UK's fears about GM foods, and the insistence of the government
that GM trials should continue - highlighted by the publication of
the Consumers' Association report which we also report on today -
are shared by the Swiss...
The persistent old wives' tales about eggs - that they are
unhealthy, that they cause consumption or that they are
contaminated with salmonella - mean that British consumers are
missing out on the potential health benefits of...
Dutch starch producer Avebe has unveiled a new line of functional
starches designed to improve the texture and processing of savoury
snacks. The Snacktex range is for use in extruded snacks, sheeted
and fried or baked snacks and coated...
Analysing the DNA of 11 strains of probiotic bacteria can help food
scientists improve the safety of a number of food products such as
cheese, yoghurt or wine. It could also help them fight food
spoilage, and improve production methods.
In the UK, Alaska Food Diagnostics, a joint venture between Circus
Capital and DSTL, is using Ministry of Defence technology to
develop a rapid test for harmful bacteria in food.
Dutch group Ahold has completed its takeover of Chilean subsidiary
Santa Isabel, raising its stake in the company from just over 70
per cent to 97 per cent as a result of a tender offer.
Britain's consumers believe that the only ones to benefit from
genetic modification of food will be the companies which have
developed the GM technology - feelings which the Consumers'
Association says the government would...
Childhood obesity rates have reached staggering levels and obesity
has nearly surpassed smoking as the leading cause of preventable
death among Americans, according to a new Datamonitor report.
The European Commission has updated the regulations designed to
prevent the import of aflatoxin-contaminated Chinese peanuts and
Turkish figs, pistachios and hazelnuts into the European Union.
Despite continued economic pressures in certain Asian markets,
Australia's largest food group Goodman Fielder is performing in
line with expectations, chief executive Tom Park said earlier this
week.
After trialling the system in two stores earlier this year, the
British supermarket chain Safeway is to launch an electronic shelf
label system in more than 50 stores nationwide.
Britain's top two food retailers, Tesco and Sainsbury, are at the
centre of a row over customer loyalty, with Tesco accusing its
rival of trying to lure away customers by offering them money-off
vouchers.
The ban on British beef imports has been lifted by French Prime
Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, but British farmers face an uphill
struggle to get their products back on supermarket shelves there.
And they are also keen to ensure that...
Hyparlo, the Carrefour franchisee with 12 stores in France, has
reported strong sales in the first half, and is counting on further
improvements in the remainder of the year.
Many foodstuffs are fortified with calcium and marketed as being
good for the health, but new research presented in the US this week
suggests that in fact such products may hinder the effectiveness of
antibiotics.
The US has complained to the World Trade Organisation about the
recent decision in the EU to tighten the labelling restrictions for
GM products, increasing the likelihood of a new trade war between
the two blocs, warns Friends of...
After a lengthy period of restructuring, the first half of 2002 was
a good one for the UK's Co-operative Group, driven by an excellent
performance from its food retail arm... just the kind of welcome
new chief executive Martin...
The IADSA Asian conference on food supplement regulations held in
Bangkok, Thailand last week produced a clear recognition of the
need for a common approach to regulations in the region and a
demand for increased collaboration and...
Vitamin D has long been known to help build bones, and it is
already widely used to help treat osteoporosis. But scientists in
the US have now synthesised a new form of the vitamin which they
claim has better bone-building properties.
Treatt Florida gets a name change - to Treatt USA - and a new
state-of-the-art production plant as the UK flavours group expands
its business across the Atlantic.
Allied Domecq has announced the latest phase of its Move to Market
business plan with the appointment of a number of key managers to
three new business units within its spirits unit.
Spain's OCU consumer protection organisation has accused the Koipe
company of fixing the price of its Carbonell and Koipe Sol brands,
and has denounced it to the competition authorities.
The US-based Agricultural Research Services has devised a method of
detecting fecal bacteria in fresh produce, which it claimed could
reduce the chances of contamination to zero.
American scientists may well warn about the risks to human health
of reducing the levels of antibiotics in the food chain, but there
is still considerable opposition in Europe, as the UK's Soil
Association has shown this week.
Further evidence presented at the ICAAC meeting in California this
week shows that increasing public pressure - and better animal
husbandry - has led to a reduction in the use of antibiotics in
animals in the US. But is this necessarily...
Despite the concern that it can cause TCA - the mouldy smell
attributed to bad wine - natural cork is the preferred closure for
most US winemakers, according to a survey carried out on behalf of
the Amorim cork group.
A study carried out by researchers at the University of
Massachusetts shows that consumption of Alpha protein, a new soy
protein ingredient, significantly lowered total and LDL blood
cholesterol in animals, according to soy processor...
New research from Procter & Gamble suggests that there may be
more appropriate methods of preventing the formation of
cancer-causing chemical acrylamide than simply cooking food at
lower temperatures - but also that the compound...
The dispute between Ahold's Albert Heijn chain and the Anglo-Dutch
group Unilever, which saw several of the latter's brands removed
from shelves, has ended with a new supply agreement.
